Interview Question: What Projects Are You Working on at Home?

Being a successful software developer requires passion for your career. This includes having your own side projects even when you’re not working in the office. Asking this question to potential candidates is normal and will help employers get an idea of how much you love what you do. Obviously, they would more likely hire someone who is dedicated to the job and not just in it for the paycheck.

Great developers are passionate about their work and often have side projects at home. However, not having side projects shouldn’t get you down. You can tell your interviewer what keeps you from not having one. It is possible that you prefer to spend your extra time with your family or your schedule doesn’t allow you to have side projects. Whatever the reason may be, don’t be afraid to tell the truth, since sincerity is important in an interview.

For those who are not working on any side projects, you can shift the focus to something else that will still let the employer know how much you love your job. Below are some tips to help you get your point across during the interview.

Share your previous projects that you were most proud of. Perhaps you have worked on something that really made you proud as a developer. Explain to the hiring manager what you did and how it helped the company. Did you solve a major issue on your own? Perhaps you were a step ahead of your colleagues and did a great job in finding a solution to a major concern your team was faced with.

Doing this gives the recruiter an idea of how you perform at work, even if you don’t have a side project at home. Besides, it’s normal to have a break at home, especially if you spend many hours at the office.

Think of a side project you’d want to develop if you had the time to do so. If time prevents you from working on something on your own, think of a project that interests you and start thinking about how you would develop it. You may not have the time to develop it right away, but having a plan is always better than not having one. When asked if you are working on a side project, don’t be afraid to explain that your project is already in the works but will require some time to get done.

Though this is not the most critical question asked of software developers, it is important for employers to know how passionate you are about your job. If you are currently working on something in your spare time, think of it as an advantage that will bring you a step closer to getting hired.

Alan is the creator of Interview Success Formula, a training program that has helped more than 40,000 job seekers to ace their interviews and land the jobs they deserve. Interviewers love asking curveball questions to weed out job seekers. But the truth is, most of these questions are asking about a few key areas. Learn more about how to outsmart tough interviewers by watching this video.